CDA completes first phase of wetland project

Islamabad:The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has completed construction of the first phase of ‘Wetland Wastewater Management Project’ and handed over the site to the Sanitation Directorate for managing and maintaining the site in Muslim Colony, a slum area located between Bari Iman (Noorpur Shahan) and the Diplomatic Enclave.

The Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Amir Ali Ahmed, who also is the Chairman of CDA, while talking to ‘The News’ said that the project was undertaken on the directions issued by the honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The once beautiful natural brook running down the Margalla Hills had turned into a filthy nullah because the inhabitants, mainly of the slum Muslim Colony as well as the residents of Bari Imam had opened the sever lines in this waterway. The brook runs down from Margalla Hills and after criss-crossing Muslim Colony and Diplomatic Enclave disgorges in Rawal Lake water reservoir. As long as this ‘Muslim Colony’ was not there it was a beautiful and enjoyable natural brook which was habitat for indigenous varieties of fish and fresh water crab.

But over the last two decades it has turned into a slushy, filthy nullah emitting foul smell and serving as a hatchery for mosquitoes, flies and other wild animals. Eventually, when it became an environmental hazard and people started frequently complaining about the dangers and damages it has started causing to health of general public as well as to the environment, the Supreme Court of Pakistan took notice of the situation and ordered the CDA to take immediate reformatory steps to stop any further damage and improve the conditions.

Chairman CDA, Amir Ali Ahmed, told ‘The News’ that in compliance with the Supreme Court of Pakistan orders the Authority selected three sites for construction of ‘Wetlands’ to arrest the deteriorating environmental conditions and bring the old beauty of this stream.

He said that the first ‘Wetlands environmental intervention project’ spread over a small area of less than an acre of land was completed and the results achieved have been highly encouraging.

“The quality of water that has passed through this ‘Wetland’ project has already become highly improved. With the construction of another two more ‘Wetlands’, we are hopeful that it would become even better. “As this stream is a tributary of the Rawal Lake, the drinking water reservoir mainly for Rawalpindi and some parts of Islamabad, it would have far reaching affects not only on the quality of water in the Rawal Lake but will positively impact the natural flora, fauna within its immediate vicinity,” the Chairman added.

He told ‘The News’ that another such ‘Wetlands’ site is being constructed on the opposite of the ‘Muslim Colony, while the third one is under construction in Bani Gala area, which, over the decades, has become the biggest source of contamination of water in Rawal Lake.

The best part of the project is that it is spread over an area less than an acre of land and total cost was only Rs. 1.5 million, which makes it highly feasible for the CDA to launch most such project all over Islamabad, the Chairman said. “Having noticed the success of this ‘Wetland’, we are now planning to create more such ‘Wetlands’ on all the natural brooks and streams running down from Margalla Hills and eventually joining ‘Nullah Leh’ in Rawalpindi after passing through many sectors of the Federal Capital,” Amir Ali Ahmed said.

He said that now that this first completed phase of ‘Wetlands’ project has been handed, over to the Directorate of Sanitation, the Directorate will now be responsible for its maintenance, upkeep and further development.